Tag: Courage

Who told you that you couldn’t do something? Who told you that it would be to hard? That you are to old or to young? Who told you that you couldn’t do it because you didn’t have the right education? Who said you didn’t know the right people?

My question to you is this… did you listen? If you did listen…WHY?
Was it because of the position this person holds in your life? Was it a teacher? Friend? Your boss? Parent? Spouse?

We let people get inside our heads and hearts & talk us out of our vision. We can feel the pull of our vision. We know deep in our soul where our passion lies but we let others talk us out of pursuing it.

We, that includes ME, have to get past the NO’s and move towards our YES. I can respect the opinion of those close to me but in the end it’s up to me to take action on MY vision. I might receive a whole lot of no’s but it only takes one yes. My yes!

Yes, you can start that business. Yes you can change careers. Yes you can start that blog. Yes you can learn a new hobby. Yes you can write that book. Yes you can move to another state. Yes you can follow your vision.

We all have a fear of something and I think that’s ok but what I don’t think is ok is letting that fear stop you. And that’s what I have been doing.

Yes, I admit it. I am letting this fear stop me from moving forward. But recently God has been putting me in situations that are making me confront that fear. I can’t deny it, I can’t hide from it or run from it. If I want to move forward I have to just do it! This fear is a stumbling block in my career.

So I am doing it. I am confronting my fear. I started with baby steps. I dipped my toe in the water. I’m not sure of the outcome yet but no matter what it is I took the first step. Yep, I am so proud of myself.

I recently saw this video clip and it made me look at my fear of failure in a different way. The thing that caught my attention was reframing what failure meant. The failure is in the NOT TRYING versus the outcome.

How powerful is that!

Those words made me reflect on what has been happening in the last couple of weeks. How I have been forced to face this fear.

What’s crazy is that I tell my sons all the time that they HAVE TO TRY but guess what??? I am NOT practicing what I preach or rather I wasn’t practicing what I preached. I’m over my initial fear, I took the first step. I think I’m ready to start walking & before you know it I’ll be running.

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As some of you might know I am a contributor for Memphis Moms Blog and a few month ago some of us participated in a swimsuit photo shoot. When asked I jumped at the chance to participate.

Why did I do it?

Because this is MY YEAR OF YES!!

This is the year that I say YES to what scares me.

This is the year that I say YES to new adventures.

This is the year that I step out of my comfort zone.

For most of my life I have had a weight problem… I was always underweight.

Some people might say that’s not a real problem but to me it was. See, when I was growing up it wasn’t “cute” to be skinny like it is today. Finding clothes in a size zero was almost impossible. Yes I said zero. I was what you would call a bean pole, straight up & down and not a curve to be found. Yes, I was ashamed of my body. When people say that they want to be “high school fine” I say no way. I was nowhere near “high school fine”

1985

When I got married at 28 I was only 100 lbs. It wasn’t until after I had my second child at 34 that I was able to maintain what I called a decent weight. As with all things you have to learn to maintain once you reach your goal weight. That part is still a learning curve for me. I have now entered year 49 and the metabolism is not what it use to be. I have to watch what I eat and force myself to exercise. I’m still not exercising like I need to but it’s coming. Now I have curves that I have NEVER had. Some I wouldn’t mind shifting to other areas. I am loving my “woman” curves. I would take my 49 year old body over my 18 year old body any day.

2016

I said all that to say this….. I am so proud of where I am with feeling confident with my body. Do I feel this confidence every day? NOPE, but I have more great days than not so great days. Do I still have work to do? You bet. But I’m going to enjoy the ME that I have become!

So ladies, enjoy the body that you have. If YOU don’t like it do something about it. If YOU are happy with it than STRUT YOUR STUFF LIKE ONLY YOU CAN.

In February 2009 I attended TeamTrek www.teamtrek.com as part of my New Memphis Institute Fellows Class (S09). www.newmemphis.org We spent the weekend in Arkansas in cabins and doing OUTDOOR team activities. Although I live in the South I was born in Chicago and I LOVE the city life.

“Darling I love you but give me Park Ave.”

Spending a whole weekend with Mother Nature was NOT my idea of fun or team building. But since this was a major part of the program I packed my gear and got on the bus.

Actually this was the worst time ever for me be away from home and my kids. My youngest son was in the hospital (non-life threatening), my oldest son was scared and confused, I was going thru a divorce, my soon to be ex was acting irrational and I was working on my MBA. I was under so much stress that my son’s doctor gave me a prescription…… Go on the trip, you need a break, because you are not going to be any good to your boys if you fall apart.

I’m so glad that I filled that prescription.

Taking this trip was a lifesaver.

I formed friendships that were and still are life changing.

I learned how strong I really am and that I can take on life and win!

There were several exercises that required me to dig deep. Exercises that required me to climb, jump, trust my team members and trust the process.

This picture shows me at the lowest moment of the trip but it’s also the highest moment of the trip.

My Turning Point

I was climbing a rock wall BLINDFOLDED….Did I mention I was blindfolded, as in no sight, cannot see? I had to trust my team member who was on the ground to give me directions. I was also linked to two other team members. When this picture was taken not only was I ready to give up….I GAVE up. I let go and hung in the air. Everything that I was going thru in my life at that point hit me with full force. I didn’t have the strength to go any further.

But it’s funny how God will send who you need and what you need at the right time

I heard another voice talking to me, encouraging me not to give up. Miska and I bonded earlier in the trip and although we were on different teams she was there for me. She spoke of things that only she and I understood. She gave me the courage to get it together and climb that wall.

God used her to help me!

I gathered my courage, said a prayer, turned around and climbed that wall.

Once the exercise was over all I could do was CRY!!

They were tears of JOY,

Tears of ACCOMPLISHMENT,

Tears of RELIEF

I came home ready to do battle with whatever came my way. My boys are healthy, smart and strong young men. I received my MBA. I survived my divorce and I still believe in love.

I’m still fighting some battles but I have the faith and courage to know that I can WIN!!

Belinda

Beewisdom- Keep trusting God. He will lead you in every step of the journey. Lailah Gitty Akita, Pearls Of Wisdom